Youth suicide in our state is a major public health problem. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people in Oklahoma, and an astounding 15% of youth surveyed in Oklahoma report that they have seriously considered suicide. Whether it is suicide deaths, attempts, or related problems such as alcohol and other drug use or barriers to mental health services, your community likely has some level of risk for youth suicide. Download the Suicide Prevention Toolkit

News

The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) is a grantee in the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention Implementation Grant Program. The State of Oklahoma will utilize funding from this award to continue ongoing implementation of the Oklahoma Strategy for Suicide Prevention and the adoption of the Action Alliances’ Zero Suicide Initiative in emergency departments and primary care facilities. The ODMHSAS will utilize the funding to provide all hospital related trainings, materials, suicide prevention software licensing, technical assistance and intensive support of ODMHSAS Prevention Field staff. Have your hospital apply today!

To learn more about this opportunityclick here. To apply for this opportunity complete thisformand email attachments to Stephanie Packebushat spackebush@odmhsas.org.

Oklahoma House Bill 1623 allows for school districts to adopt a policy on suicide awareness and training. Each board of education may provide training to students in grades 9-12 and staff addressing suicide awareness and prevention. For more information on this legislation or support in implementing school-based suicide prevention, please contact Savannah Kalman at savannah.kalman@odmhsas.org or 405.522.3471.

We would like to invite you to subscribe to the Oklahoma Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Grant newsfeed. News articles, upcoming trainings, webinars, and research articles will be posted in this area. We will also commence putting related materials for across the lifespan soon. http://www.ok.gov/odmhsas/oklahomasuicideprevention.xml

Youth Suicide Prevention Council

In 2001, the Oklahoma Legislature passed the Youth Suicide Prevention Act (House Bill 1241), which established the Youth Suicide Prevention Council and designated the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services as the lead agency for youth suicide prevention.The Youth Suicide Prevention Council members are legislatively appointed, and meetings are open to the public.

The Council meets:
The Last Thursday of Every Month
Shepherd Mall
Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
2401 NW 23rd, Suite 1F (on 2nd Floor at North end of the mall)
Oklahoma City, OK 73107
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Suicide Facts

Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States, especially for young people ages 15-24. Although multiple factors contribute to suicide, at least 90 percent of all people who kill themselves have a mental disorder, a substance abuse disorder, or a combination of disorders. Oklahoma’s death rate for suicide exceeds that of the U.S. Click here to learn more about suicide prevention efforts in Oklahoma and link to educational resources.

Media

In a perfect world, the media’s role of reporting the truth and its job of serving the public good would not conflict. In the real world, however, these two roles can clash—and one of the areas in which this clash occurs is the media’s reporting on suicide. The suicide of an “ordinary” person can become news in his or her own community, and the suicide of a prominent person or celebrity can become national, and even international, news.

Unfortunately, the very service of reporting a suicide can encourage some people to attempt suicide themselves. While these suicides are not caused by media attention itself, there is a danger that people who are depressed or who perceive their personal problems as insurmountable may find in these reports a model of resolving their problems.

Fortunately, reporting on suicide can be accomplished in ways that serve both the truth and the public health. There are steps the media can take to minimize the possibility that its coverage of suicide will contribute to additional suicides. There are also steps the media can take to proactively contribute to preventing suicide. (Suicide Prevention Resource Center—SPRC)